The Road to Independence

Though it's been a long time in the works, the transition from program of our national offices in Atlanta and DC to a locally governed organization have truly begun. Though talks about Hands On Gulf Coast becoming and independent affiliate of the Hands On Network (now Points of Light & Hands On Network) have been around ever since I arrived in January 2006, we now have a mandate from the national board of directors to be independent by July 1.

What does independence mean? There are two parts to that answer. First and foremost, it means that Hands On Gulf Coast generates all the funds it needs to operate during the year, without the support of the national office. That means we need to be like every other nonprofit with annual appeals, sponsorships, grants, and fee-for-service options. Your support and continued commitment to the work in the Gulf will be a critical to Hands On Gulf Coast's success.
Second, independence means local governance. There are also two options being explored here. Because it's always a bad idea to start a nonprofit that duplicates the efforts of already established agencies, it's important to conduct an exhaustive survey of the nonprofit landscape, exploring all possibilities for partnership and collaboration before deciding that creating a new organization is best for the community.

We formed a Steering Committee who met for the first time of Tuesday, April 1, to discuss our options for local governance. The United Way of South Mississippi recently started a volunteer center - Volunteer Gulf Coast - with whom we've already worked. Remember Make A Difference Day (Oct 07)? It is logical to enter into a conversation with the United Way to determine whether there is a way to more tighly integrate our operations because of our closely aligned goals for community engagement.


With the United Way talk as context, the Steering Committee meeting was great. Our committee consists of nonprofit and business leaders. Some members we know quite well, others are just getting to know us. Resoundingly, they said there is a need for the services we provide - managed groups of volunteers and volunteer program development. Though we who work here and see the need for volunteer programs in all the nonprofits on the Gulf Coast, it was reassuring to hear our nonprofit partners and business leaders confirm our observations.


With that as our starting point, we asked our Steering Committee members to spread the word and suggest other people who might also be a good addition to the Steering Committee and could potentially turn into initial board members. We're always looking for new contacts and new opportunities to firmly root Hands On Gulf Coast on the Gulf Coast for years to come.


As the process unfolds and evolves, we will continue to keep you posted on developments.

Spring Break, Week 4

The fourth week of Spring Break has come and gone. As with each of the other weeks, it was a good week of service with diverse projects ranging from surveying East Biloxi to determine the needs of residents, to demolding, to working on some of the houses we're building, to participating in a community cleanup in Moss Point.

This week was a smaller week, with about 50 Spring Breakers from:

• Unversity of California - Riverside
• Harvard University
• SUNY Albany (a Jewish Funds for Justice group)
• Colorado University, Boulder

For those who opted into the Service Learning package, the panel discussion with members of the Steps Coalition was pretty lively. The panel had representatives from the Fair Housing Coalition, MIRA (Mississippi Immigrant Rights Alliance), LIFE (Living Independently For Everyone), and NAVASA (National Alliance of Vietnamese American Service Agencies). The focus of the discussion was grassroots community organizing in the wake of Katrina. Each of these organizations talked about the challenge of creating an equitable recovery for all.

We thank all the Spring Breakers who came down this year to Biloxi. We're still compiling the impact y'all had over the course of the month. We'll post that as soon as it's ready.

Spring Break, Week 3

So, the third and biggest week of Spring Break came and went. We had over 160 Spring Breakers come during the week. They came from:

• Xavier University
• Darmouth College
• University of Wisonsin, River Falls & Madison campuses
• University of Oklahoma
• University of Wyoming
• Iowa State University
• Hamilton College
• University of Minnesota
• University of South Dakota
• Hamilton College Alumni

Wow! Talk about lines for food and the showers. Still, everyone manage to contribute to the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast during their time.

Many worked on education-focused projects, such as tutoring, helping with the Boys & Girls Club after school programs, working with Nichols Elementary's after-school program, making lunch for the teachers at the Center for New Opportunities and Pass Road Elementary, as well as the usual array of projects.

Spring Breakers began the second phase of construction on the Lameuse St house that was started in December 07. The house passed its framing inspection, which meant the insulation and dry wall was ready to roll. Fantastic!

Other projects were working out at Moss Point, helping to prepare the baseball diamonds for use, as well as the not-so-glamorous-but-very-important cleaning of drainage ditches to reduce the risk of flooding during heavy rains and the next hurricane to hit the area.

A little closer to home, out at Gulf Islands National Seashore, volunteers began helping restore bird habitats. Out west, still on the environmental kick, we had volunteers doing live oak restoration in Pass Christian.

One of the other great projects that folks enjoyed was the making and distribution of easter baskets for the elderly. It's something that the residents love and gets our folks connected with the community they came to serve.

It's not all work, though. We had a crawfish boil and bonfire on the beach. We had about 100 people show up, learn to eat crawfish, marvel at the spiciness that a corn cob can absorb, and enjoy the warmth of a fire when the March winds blow.

For the service learning group, we held a panel discussion that focused on education issues. Teachers from Pass Road Elementary and the Center for New Opportunities came to talk to the schools who participated. One of the compelling personal reflections came from Ms. Drakeford, a kindergarten teacher at Pass Rd. Elementary. She said that her kids were 2 and 3 years old when Katrina hit. For the next year and a half to two years, there were no parks and no places for the kids to play. So the kids don't just play spontaneously. They sit around or play on the computer, but they don't run and skip like 5 year olds should.

That observation just brings home how critical each aspect of the work we do is. You can just work on a single aspect of the community's recovery to the neglect of the others. Community is not so much a place, but a state of mind, a concept, a feeling. You can't necessarily touch 'community', but you can see the effects of its presence. We help build those invisible linkages that become the basis for community.

Thank you to everyone who came down during your Spring Break to take part in not only rebuilding the Gulf Coast, but just as importantly building community.

Spring Break, Week 2

I'm trying to get ahead of the bow wave of Spring Break. This week, I'll post twice. Once at the relative beginning and once at the relative end. By the time March is complete, I should have this down to a science.

So, this week, we have fewer Spring Break volunteers. Rather than 160+, we have about 120 or so. A new AmeriCorps NCCC team (Eagle 4) arrived on Saturday, overlapping with Silver 3 who has been here for a couple weeks already.

This week we have:

• Eastfield College
• E. Kentucky University
• Texas A&M
• Truman State University
• University of Vermont
• Indiana University School of Medicine
• Penn State University

We're focusing or service learning efforts on affordable housing this week. That means projects this week have more of a slant toward addressing the issues related to housing. Whether that means you're working in the Interfaith Disaster Task Force (IDTF) warehouse sorting furniture donations, to hanging insulation and drywall in a resident's home, to mucking out storm drains in Moss Point, each of these projects impacts people's ability to live in the area. Though often tedious, each project is important.

Rain continues to throw a monkey wrench in well-laid plans, but we adapt and over come.

Spring Break, Week 1

Thank you to everyone who came down to Hands On Gulf Coast for their Spring Break. For us, the first week in March was the first week of Spring Break. We saw about 165 volunteers from 10 schools. Which schools?

• The College of William and Mary
• Grand Valley State University
• Northeastern University
• Viterbo
• The University of Virginia (a.k.a., Mr. Jefferson's University & my alma mater)
• Chadron State University
• Regis University
• James Madison University - winners of the Tuff Stuff Challenge
• Michigan State University
• Boston College

Though the week started out with a bit of a drill - tornado threats, tents, and Alternative Spring Break (ASB) volunteers don't mix - and folks were tired, the week went well and we accomplished quite a bit. During the week, we focused on environmental projects. This included everything from removing garbage from Turkey Creek in Gulfport, to cleaning up baseball fields in Moss Point, to cleaning and clearing trails at the Harmony House in Gulfport.

With so many folks in the building, there were of course last minute challenges to over come. However, Delia, our Spring Break planner did a fabulous job preparing and anticipating most of the potential challenges. We at Hands On definitely appreciate that you all chose to put your volunteer efforts to work on the Gulf Coast. As you saw, we still need help down here.

Hopefully, you learned a little more about the South, the challenges the Gulf Coast faces in its recovery from the storm, and met some new, like-minded folks.

Brian, Eddie, Sheli

Today was Brian Deubert's, Eddie Sherman's, and Sheli McNeill's last day with Hands On Gulf Coast. They all contributed immensely to the success of Hands On Gulf Coast during the course of their tenure with us.

Sheli joined us in April 2006, working quietly as a case manager, helping residents recover identity documents, get FEMA trailers, and get materials to rebuild their homes. Sheli was instrumental in preparing and executing the successful Guiding Light project in January 2007. After successfully tackling that challenge, Sheli stepped up to be the AmeriCorps Program Coordinator for Building. She worked tirelessly during her time with us.

Brian arrived in June 2006. He quickly began helping with the fledgling, ad hoc construction work Hands On was struggling to get into. Between various other volunteers, Brian helped roof houses, build Mr. Thornton's house, and work on Mr. George's. He was the Stud House leader when Guiding Light came. Under the tutelage of Eddie, Brian continued to grow in his chosen craft of carpentry.

Eddie arrived in September 2006. Brother of Dan Sherman, Eddie arrived for a couple weeks, but was immediately drawn into the culture and life of Hands On. He began by helping to build Mr. George's house, then managing the Bridge to Biloxi project in October 2006. Under his technical leadership, Hands On was able to prepare three houses for the Guiding Light team in early 2007. For the rest of the year, Eddie trained a team of AmeriCorps members dedicated to building homes along the Gulf Coast. When he left, 12 houses had been completely rebuilt.

The trio of Brian, Sheli, and Eddie shaped the Hands On Gulf Coast construction program into what it is today. They set high standards for craftmanship, quality, and attention to detail, which AmeriCorps construction members always strived to meet.

Thank you to each of you for your contribution to Hands On Gulf Coast and to the broader Gulf Coast community. Best of luck in your next endeavors and see you around Biloxi.

Thanks Hands On

Where to begin...
To avoid being entirely too sappy, this will be a quick blog.
It is the end of my official month anniversary at Hands On Gulf Coast and let me just tell you that the experience has been amazing. I am surrounded by caring, fun people in Hands On and the greater community. I would especially like to thank Miss Juanita and Dottie for taking on the mother roles and offer nothing but support and love to those around them.
I came to Hands On with very few expectations, I only knew it was the right thing to do. So far this belief only grows stronger. I have had the opportunity to become part of a community and challenge myself with a group of amazing people. How could I go wrong?
Since I've been in Biloxi, I've participated in two parades (receiving free fried chicken from D'Vines Soulfood in both), helped win the spirit award in a bed race, played with the kids at the Boys and Girls Club, celebrated Martin Luther King Day and Mardi Gras properly, and roller skated for the first time in 20 years (and yes, I had several people who were patient enough to hold my hands the entire time!). I can't believe how lucky I am.
Currently, I'm trying to wriggle my way in to a larger community and spread the Hands On goodness. This is one of the few times in my life that I can say I want to do more, I don't want to stop at good enough.
Tomorrow is my first day of Healthy Living classes for the 9 and 10 year olds at Boys and Girls Club. I have a feeling that this class will really challenge me and give me something to work towards. I'm ecstatic. I have so much to learn from the kids. And who knows, I might even inspire a healthier lifestyle in one or two of the kids.
No matter what happens, I am thankful to be on the Gulf Coast.
Here's to new friends, new experiences and a healthier Mississippi!
Cheers!

1st Annual Mardi Gras Bed Race

This past Saturday, Hands On Gulf Coast participated in the 1st Annual, Mardi Gras Bed Race. It was an event sponsored by Walmart to raise money for the Salvation Army.

We fielded two teams on 200lb metal beds supplied by the Salvation Army. The beds were decorated in typical Hands On fashion, last minute and with ever was available. One bed had the sign, "Be Bold, Fight Mold". The other had me in it, holding onto some sort of strange bed parasol we found in the Spin Cycle.

The race itself was hillarious. There were all sorts of contraptions. Sprint, Keesler, the Police, the Firemen, and about a dozen other groups had a bed in the race. One of the cooler ones was from Landon Building (?). They built a home on a frame. The Air Force guys from Keesler had a well-designed bed with a bar designed to maximize the ease of pushing.

A couple groups hadn't hired the services of an engineer, so their beds fell apart mid-race. The troopers wound up carrying the pieces over the finish line.

Though we didn't win for being the fastest, we certainly did win for being the most spirited. Between the chant,

When I say Hands On, you say 'Gulf Coast' ...
Hands On! ... Gulf Coast!!
Hands On!! ... Gulf Coast!! ....

repeated ad nauseum and "Be Bold! ... Fight Mold!! Be Bold! Fight Mold!!" there was little chance for anyone else to win.

Thanks to everyone who came out Saturday morning. Also a special thanks to Amanda and Fletcher who sat at a table with maccaroni and string to keep kids entertained on the Town Green. Here's to next year's winning team.

Thanks!!!!

Hi Everyone,

Thanks to those who participated in the challenge yesterday! Though the email was on short notice, we appreciate the swift and generous response. You can see how much we raised yesterday ($830) by day's end by going to the Hands On Gulf Coast Cause page.

Though the challenge period ends today at 12pm Pacific, Hands On Gulf Coast and the residents of the Gulf Coast will continue to need your support. Please do continue to volunteer and lend your financial support to our organization. Your donations support us in our work to rebuild the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Chris
Director, Hands On Gulf Coast

Facebook Giving Challenge

Hi Everyone,

You will all probably be receiving (or have already received) an email with the opening line:

Have 10 minutes? Have $10? We need your help!

It's true. We do need your support. It's how we keep the lights on, the cars driving, and the hammers swinging to rebuild the Gulf Coast.

Facebook and The Case Foundation have teamed up to offer an interesting fundraising opportunity. Nonprofits can win money by having the most unique donors give money to a cause in a given day. The minimum donation is $10. Read more about it.
What we need you to do:

• Go to Hands On Gulf Coast Cause on Facebook.
• Click Donate.


• If you're not on Facebook already, you'll create an account, then you can donate.


• if you're already on Facebook, log in and proceed.


• Donate at least $10 today, January 31, 2008 by 3pm Eastern, 12pm Pacific

It's important you donate today January 31st. It's the last day of the Challenge and it's important to have the most donors in a single day. You can see today's current leader on the Hands On Gulf Coast Causes page.

In addition to your generous donations, we could win $1,000 on the 31st by having the most unique donors. Please encourage your friends and family to support us, too.

The overall challenge has almost run its 50-day length. Prizes ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 will be awarded to causes with the most unique donors over the Challenge period. Currently, 600 unique Hands On Gulf Coast donors could put us in 5th place.

Please support Hands On Gulf Coast and help us to continue helping those on the Gulf Coast who are still in need.

Thank you for your support.

MLK Day 2008

MLK Day 2008 was a great, great day. We walked in the parade, showed a flim and held a discussion, worked on service projects, and had a blast at John Henry Beck Park. We probably had about 2,000 - 3,000 people roll through the park during the afternoon. Talk about a dream come true for Hands On.

None of this would have been possible without some key partnerships with The Knight Foundation, Clear Channel (via 92.5 The Beat), and the Beau Rivage. The Knight Foundation supported the film and the service projects as a way to get a diverse group of community leaders pulled together for a conversation about issues that are important to the community. It was the kick-off for a year-long series of activities to engage the community and attempt to get them more involved.

Clear Channel helped make the event in the park possible. They brought in folks to help with activities for the kids, held a talent show, and broadcast live from the Park. You should check out the photos on their website http://www.925fmthebeat.com/. Click on Day in the Park.

The Beau Rivage generously donated space and equipment to show the film and catering for the event. It was a fabulous space.

It started as a very chilly morning. As worried as we were about how the day was going to go, there really wasn't much to do but let the day unfold and see what it brought. I am definitely a worrier, so I was nervous until my part with the film at the Beau was finished.

The parade was great. Though somehow we weren't on the list of floats, we managed to get in the front of the parade. We walked the route in about 45 minutes. The crowd looked a bit thinner as compared to last year, but it was still a great turn out. Hands On folks cannot help but have fun. We threw beads, superballs, and candy to the bystanders. It was sorta like a Mardi Gras parade, but different. Our folks carried big wooden hands painted blue. In white ink, a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr sat in the palm.

Naturally, everyone was so excited to throw beads that we were out by the time we got to the main crowd near Yankee Stadium. Oh well. How can you frown on fun? Perhaps folks will remember for next year ...

As soon as our float finished the parade route, I rushed to the Beau Rivage for the film showing and discussion. We didn't have the turn out I had hoped for, but we still had a lively discussion. We had folks from the Beau Rivage's Diversity team come to participate in the discussions, as well as Adele Lyons from the Knight Foundation who helped support the day's events. The film we watched was King: Man of Peace in a Time of War. I highly recommend the film. It is striking to see how so many issues that were being discussed in the 60's - housing, a war, equality - are still relevant today, particularly on the Coast.

Because I was at the film discussion, I didn't make it to the service projects, but we landscaped a resident's house and made murals for one of our partners, The Village. We love The Village for the work they do with the Hispanic and Spanish-speaking immigrant communities. They just moved to a new building, so we were happy to be able to decorate the walls for them with some art they can take with them to the permanent digs when they become available. Thanks to Anne, Caitlin, and everyone else who helped with that.

Will led the landscaping project at Ms. Ethel's house. We finished her house last September and had the Guiding Light come down for a little move-in celebration. We were excited about the opportunity to finish the yard.

At John Henry Beck Park, we were amazed by what we saw. During the day, folks wandered over from the Battle of the Bands and hung out in the park. We worked with Clear Channel and 92.5 The Beat to put on an afternoon of celebration in honor of Dr. King. There was a talent show and a performance by soul patrol. There were activities for the kids, as well as music broadcast from the park all afternoon.

When it was said and done, there were probably 2,500 to 3,000 people who rolled through the park. When I got up on stage at the end of the day, all I could see was a sea of people. It was exactly what we dreamt about when the park was restored in the hot summer of 2006. Thanks to all those who put in hard work then and over the past year to make John Henry Beck Park a great place to people to come play and enjoy themselves.

Thanks to everyone who made MLK Day a great day for Hands On Gulf Coast. We look forward to improving on all aspects of it for next year.

MLK 2008 - The Day's Activities

So, MLK Day 2008 is just around the corner.  The Gulf Coast has been designated as one of the expansion markets for the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), which means that CNCS is very supportive increasing the participation in the day of service.  Hmm, that's a lot of words, let's put it in a slogan.  "It's a day on, not a day off."  The idea behind the day of service is to get more people to volunteer, echoing Dr Martin Luther King, Jr's words:

 "Everyone can be great because everyone can serve."

With that as the basis for our day's activities, we began planning how to initiate the first MLK Day of Service.  Though there has been a Coast-wide celebration of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr for over 20 years, there hasn't been a day of service.  The planning for the event has had some challenges and bumps along the road, but in the end, I think we're going to have a solid program that dovetails the existing MLK celebrations and highlights another aspect of King's teachings.

What is our program?  We're going to help out where we can by supplying volunteers to some of the activities on the weekend sponsored by the Coast-wide celebration committee.  On Monday, the 21st, we'll march in the parade, marking the third year Hands On has had a float.

In the afternoon, beginning at 1pm, we will have service projects running.  Folks are encouraged to come out to work on volunteer service projects around East Biloxi ranging from painting a mural to working on a home rebuilding project to landscaping a resident's yard.

In addition to the physically active projects, we have a documentary film and panel-led discussion also beginning at 1pm.  The Beau Rivage has graciously offered space to show the film and entice folks with refreshments like cookies and coffee.  Yum.  Space is limited for both the film showing and the volunteer service projects, so folks on the Gulf Coast interested in participating should contact us via our office phone (228.257.6094) or via email (info@handsongulfcoast.org).  Let us know you're interested in the MLK Day of Service opportunities.

The day's events aren't limited to service projects and a film discussion.  No Hands On event would be complete without an activity in the park.  We have partnered with Clear Channel to bring a Day in the Park.  It's really just the afternoon because we want folks to support the Battle of the Bands that will be going on in Yankee Stadium.  Once that's done, though, folks should come to John Henry Beck Park to see what we have planned.  There will be activities for the youth that focus on Dr King and his message, as well as a youth talent show.  There will also be performances by Soul Patrol and the Zulu Men's Choir from New Orleans.

We're excited and looking forward to the Day.  Come join us!  Remember it's a Day On, not a Day Off.  And if you're not on the Gulf Coast, check out what's going on in your community and volunteer!

Enneagram Training

It's late at night and I should be asleep getting precious rest before my appearance on the WLOX morning show to talk about our MLK Day of Service Activities.  Instead, the day's training on the Enneagram personality types swirls in my mind making it difficult to turn my brain off. 

The staff wanted to learn how to communicate better with one another and build a more effective team.  I mentioned this to my boss and she said that Ellen Ferber, one of Points of Light & Hands On Network's Regional VPs, was certified in the Enneagram personality type training.   We all took the test, a batter of 145 binary questions, each answer corresponding to one of the nine personality types identified in this personality framework.  Ellen came down to tell us about the results of our tests and guide us through the process of learning how to use it in our work life. She described each of the types, their characteristics, and how they interact with those around them.

What's neat about the Enneagram method (? is it a method?) is that it provides a framework understanding what you need for personal growth, as well as a framework for understanding interpersonal dynamics.Though your type never changes, I happen to be a 9 - a Peacemaker - your state of personal development does affect the outward appearance of your personality.  When I'm on my game, I appear like the 3 - the Acheiver; I set goals and hit them.  When I lapse into a black state, I go to the bad side of a 6 - The Loyalist - where I become paranoid and paralyzed with fear.  The same holds true for each of the numbers.  There is a flow of energy between the personality types that manifests itself at various times.  There are three triads each with a different underlying energy or motivation.  8, 9, and 1 are in the gut triad, meaning they filter everything through their instinctive reactions.  2 through 4 are in the heart triad and look at things in terms of relationships, while the 5, 6, and 7's filter their experiences through the head.  

I know I haven't done the extensively researched and refined methodology for describing personality all that well, so you should probably go to the Enneagram Institute's website to learn more.  Or call Ellen.  It's all very fascinating and amazingly accurate. Though one method of describing personality is probably as good as another, when you find the one you like, a lot of dynamics and tensions between people can easily be demystified because you now understand what the underlying motivations for folks are. Very exciting.

What's most important to Hands On is that we had the training.  All the staff was present and engaged.  From the anecdotal comments folks gave me, everyone got something from the training.  I think this will help us build a stronger team.  We have a better idea of how each person sees the world, how they interact it, and what drives them to be who they are. 

I've got lots of ideas and I think the rest of the staff does, too.  So, I'm excited.  Thanks, Ellen for a great training!!!  We really appreciate it.

Orientation, Over

Well, AmeriCorps Orientation #1 of 2008, the one for our first batch of full-time members, ended Friday afternoon. It seemed like it went well. We learned from last year and put significant energy and time into making a better orientation experience for folks. We'll see what the evaluations say.

This year, we were lucky to have Megan Latimer from the Atlanta Office come down to talk about the "Hands On" model. We talk about that often around here - it's the model we use to ensure that volunteers: 1) have a great experience, 2) are used to the utmost of the abilities, and 3) are hooked into coming back and bringing a friend.

Megan discussed some of the sociological, psychological, and philosophical underpinnings for the way Hands On engages volunteers. At the most basic level, the "Hands On" model of volunteer engagement is a form of asset-based community development. Rather than focusing on needs and inadvertently setting up cycles of dependence, Hands On looks to help the community determine what it wants to do (a vision) and helps create the pathways to acheive those goals. We become catalysts for change.

That's heady stuff, I know, but I was talking with Dave (yes, the Dog :) about the session. he said he learned so much and was ready to start implementing some of what he learned the next time he was on the job site. It's a pretty powerful endorsement for the material, but also the presenter, Megan.

Not only did people learn about the model, but they got to see it in action when they went for their half-day service projects. That was another of Dave's comments. He learned about how Hands On creates volunteer service opportunities and then saw it in action when he arrived at the work site and Eddie (our Construction Manager) immediately provided an orientation to the job, talked about the home owner, and provided the context for the home they were about to work on.



Everyone did a great job with orientation! Caitlin, Sheli, and Sara spent a considerable amount of time incorporating what we all learned from last year, continueing to build a strong program. The AmeriCorps members each seemed to learn something, which is always a bonus. I know I'm excited about the team that has been assembled and all that we are poised to accomplish this year.

The Menagerie - A/C Orientation Day 1

Today was the first day of orientation. What a day it was. We talked about the history of Hands On and the basics of AmeriCorps. More importantly, we got to know one another through a few interesting ice breakers.

Early on it was an introduction of name, where you're from, how you heard about Hands On, and of course the Question. Well, not The Question, but a random question that becomes the day's question. This morning, it was "What was your favorite sitcom." Not necessarily as good as pirates or ninjas ... just sayin'. Just sayin'.

The real fun was with the animal name game. Stand in a circle, say your name, the name of an animal that starts with the first letter of your name, then make the noise of that animal. That's the easy part. Go around in the circle and you need to remember the names and animals of the people who went before you. We came up with some interesting animals and sounds.

Not everyone could join us for this morning fun, so tomorrow, we'll make them give their animals. Here are those AmeriCorps members at the early morning orientation:

Chris	Sheli
Caitlin	Sara
Denae	Sharece
Kendall	Jeff
Jenny	Nick
Fletcher	Molly
Catherine	Nelson
Rotunda	Dave
KC	Ingrid
Danielle	Amanda
Leah

Happy 2008

Hi All,

Welcome back for another year of volunteer service on the Gulf Coast. We had a bit of a break to reflect and prepare for the upcoming year when the 2007 AmeriCorps program year ended at Thanksgiving. Now, we're almost ready for all the challenges awaiting us in 2008.

The big thing is that AmeriCorps orientation starts tomorrow, 7 Jan 07, for roughly 25 people. Yes, Program Year 2008 starts tomorrow. OK, technically, it starts on the 8th and the 7th is only for the folks who are going to live with us, but the AmeriCorps members have already started arriving - those who aren't continuing service from last year that is.

We're excited to have everyone returning and arriving for the first time. Through out the year, our AmeriCorps members will build houses, tutor kids, educate the community on various issues, spruce up green spaces, work on art projects with kids, lead Alternative Spring Breakers from colleges around the country, and participate in a few days of service.

It's a packed schedule. Both Eddie and Sheli - along with our new construction supervisors Brian and John - are ready to build a bunch of houses for residents along the Gulf Coast. With some unique partnerships with corporations interested in helping the Gulf Coast get back on their feet, the building crew is ready to roll.

On the community side, Caitlin has been working diligently to develop partnerships with other agencies along the Gulf where members can develop projects and serve the Gulf Coast residents in a different way. Building homes is cool, visible, and critical recovery, but so too are the many services that AmeriCorps members who work in the community area. Kids need enrichment activities and adults need to have opportunities to give back to their own communities.

That's exactly what AmeriCorps members on the community side will be doing. They will work in or with partner agencies to develop sustainable volunteer programs that engage residents of the Gulf Coast. Lofty stuff for recent high school and college grads.

So, an exciting year of building and transition lays ahead of us. Come join us.

New Hires

Yeah!!! Though the news is late in coming, we were finally able to hire on some new folks to help run our programs.

In April 2007, we were awarded an Environmental Justice grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). With this grant, we will educate residents of the Gulf Coast on the health and structural issues that mold can create and demonstrate low-cost, effective ways to fight mold. After some fits and starts, we were able to hire Erica Winslow to be our Mold Educator. This happened officially in November. Congrats and welcome aboard!

Our building program is on solid footing and needed additional supervisors to help Eddie and Sheli meet their home construction goals in 2008. With money from coporate sponsorships, we were able to bring on one long-time construction guy - Brian "Deubs" Deubert - and an almost as long construction guy - John Wildeman. Both have learned their trade and grown under Eddie's tutelage and will be great team leads in the field. Welcome aboard!

Water Line

Yesterday morning my colleagues and I painted the exterior of a house belonging to a woman whose home was flooded in August 2005 during hurricane Katrina.

My fellow co-workers also framed walls for a new house and painted murals in a daycare center that will finally re-open next week.

Because so much work remains to be done along the Gulf Coast and in New Orleans, we held our staff retreat here and decided to donate our time as part of the agenda.

On the first night local residents came to our group dinner and told us their stories.

I invited a friend from the area to read a blog post she wrote about how she lost her home.

My colleagues were moved by the profound way that her story blended the ordinary details of life with the devastation of the storm.

She was charming, funny, eloquent and poignant.

The other community guest was a man named Grady, the uncle of one of my colleagues.

The first thing Grady told us was that he usually avoids talking about his experience during hurricane Katrina.

Before the hurricane Grady lived with his wife and three children in a nice house near the beach in coastal, Mississippi.

He was the CEO of a successful company that he founded.

He drove a nice car.

Grady’s elderly father, reliant upon an oxygen tank to breathe, lived in the house next door.

During the summer of 2005, Grady’s family evacuated their home five times for hurricanes and, on one of those occasions, it didn’t even rain.

On the morning of August 29th Grady didn't think it looked like Katrina would hit the Gulf Coast.

He and his family decided not to evacuate and stayed at home.

At noon that day, the situation looked increasingly dire so they decided to drive two miles inland to Grady’s office.

They brought their boat and left it set so that if the water rose the boat would rise with it.

The water rose.

Grady told us how fast the water came into his office building and kept coming.

He had one life jacket.

His six, eight and ten year old children worried.

When the water started to become dangerously high, Grady put his six year old in the life jacket and tied a rope around him.

Grady, his wife, his father and the other two children held on to the rope and prayed.

The family decided that if the water rose too high they would break a window up near the ceiling, escape and swim around the building to the boat.

I’m not sure where Grady’s father’s oxygen tank fit into the plan. Perhaps it didn’t.

Meanwhile, the water kept rising.

The children began to cry.

The eye of the storm passed over the building.

The water kept rising and rising… and finally…finally…it stopped.

When the water receded they had to walk the two miles back to their neighborhood and make their way over six blocks of debris eight feet high to find the spot where their house had been.

It took four days for Grady to find what remained of his house four blocks away.

With all communication cut off, Grady’s family had no way to understand the magnitude of the storm's impact. In other parts of the country their extended family had no way to know if they were alive.

As Grady talked, I couldn’t help thinking about how frightened he must have been during the storm. I thought about how responsible he must have felt – responsible for protecting his family, for making the choice to stay, for needing to save their lives.

I thought about the nightmares that jerk me awake in a cold sweat – the ones where something terrible has happened to my children. The ones where I can't save them.

I thought about Grady living through this literal nightmare.

It took my breath away.

After his talk, Grady told me that the thing about his experience that hurt him the most was that his children were robbed of the secure knowledge that he was Superman. They saw his raw fear and it stripped them of their innocence. More than anything else, this is what he wishes he could erase.

The physical destruction caused by the storm is no longer represented by piles of debris or the twisted remains of buildings but rather by endless stretches of emptiness marked only by driveways and stairs leading to the ghosts of vanished front doors.

I wondered about the destruction that I couldn’t see.

Grady’s family evacuated to his wife’s family farm in Georgia and they still live there.

Though Grady commutes back and forth between the farm and the gulf to work, his family will not return.

They don’t even want to visit. They are not coming back here.

What is it like to live with the memory of their experience?

Megan told me a story about a woman who worked as a nurse in a mental health facility before the storm.

Because the patients couldn’t be evacuated, staff had to stay and work or lose their jobs.

The woman stayed and because she stayed, so did her husband and son.

After the storm, when she was able to finally make it back to her house, she found her husband and son had drowned in the family living room.

She was found cradling the body of her son on her front porch.

She had been sitting there holding him for days because there was no one to come and collect the dead.

“So is everything rebuilt now? Is everything back to normal?”

Megan told me how much she hates this question.

It’s not rebuilt. It’s not back to normal.

What was lost will never be returned.

Grady told us about the second storm surge, the wave of volunteers who came from all over the country and arrived well before the government with water, ice and bread.

The volunteers brought simple things like toothpaste and soap. They brought baby formula and diapers.

“They restored my faith in humanity,” he said.

I wish I had been one of those volunteers but on the day of hurricane Katrina I watched CNN, I gave birth to my daughter.

This is the first time I have had the opportunity to come to the Gulf to volunteer.

Yesterday I painted the house of an elderly woman who has lived in a nursing home for nearly two and a half years.

In February her house, entirely renovated by volunteers, will be finished and she will finally be able to come home.

Both Megan and Grady talked about their faith that the Gulf Coast would be reborn into something greater than it was before.

Despite their experiences, both of them believe that the utter devastation was, itself, a catalyst for the Gulf Coast’s renewal.

They described people and communities coming together to collaborate in ways that would never have been possible before the storm.

Their enthusiasm and hope were contagious.

I found myself swept up in it, and felt part of something larger than myself.

In so many ways, I am so grateful.

Jessica K., Atlanta, Georiga

Mr T. Goes to Maine

For those of you that have come to know and love Mr. Thornton, I'm hoping you'll be happy to read this posting.

Pat Thornton has spent the past couple of days with me inbetween Mississippi and Maine, telling me repeatedly that this week has been the greatest week of his life. Pat spent the weekend sharing his incredible story with the folks from Food Network for a show Dinner: Impossible. For those of you that have already heard his story, you know what I'm talking about. If you don't know, you better ask somebody.

Then on Tuesday, I was given the honor of taking Pat with me to Kennebunkport, ME, for an event with former President George H.W. Bush, that is hoping to gain the support of a group of corporations, foundations, and philanthropists for our newly merged organization, Points of Light & Hands On Network. Pat was given the simple task of sharing his story with a few big shots, and laying on his incomparable southern charm in this beautiful area of the country.

The first day for Pat was a little overwhelming. This was the first time the guy had been on a plane since returning from Vietnam, so it was a little different for him, but he was definitely excited. Seeing him grinning from ear to ear while leaning over his cabin window is an absolute joy. When we arrived in New Hampshire it quickly became apparent Pat was a little out of his element. While stopping at an ATM machine for the ridiculous number of toll roads in New Hampshire, Pat thought it was ok to light up one of his cigars inside a gas station and was quickly reprimanded. "You can't do that anywhere in this state!" said the grumpy clerk. I felt like telling her to piss off, but chose to concentrate on ensuring Pat had a good time. Naturally, he was a little upset, but after I put on a Ray Charles CD in the car, he quickly perked up again and began to feel at home. Listening to him singing along, telling me stories of the days he used to be in the band the Rockin' Rebels, and how as a young boy an old, blind black guy with no legs taught him how to play a mean guitar, it makes you realize how important the simple things are. "Music can be therapuetic," says Pat. I never really understood that until now.

Pat spent Wednesday morning exploring, resting, enjoying Maine, and thinking a lot about Sandy and how happy she would be to see all of this. Later in the day, Pat shared his story with President Bush at their home at Walker's Point, also known as "The Compound" to the locals. He told me that the whole time he was thinking to himself "what you think you're doing here boy?", but that those feelings quickly wore off after President Bush spoke to him and "made me feel right at home." He got to take some pictures with George and Babs and explore the home that has been in the Bush family for generations.

At dinner later that evening, Mr. T shared his story in detail with everybody in attendance. He basically everyone fall in love with him, and understandably there was not a dry eye in the room. He described his struggles through Hurricane Camille, and later with the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. He talked about how he and Sandy tried to do all they could themselves, but what they really needed was a little help to get them over the hump. Enter Hands On volunteers like Luc Lamarche and Brian "Deubs", who invested countless hours to get them back into their home. He talked about the joy that still resonated through that home today because of the volunteers who had worked on his home. He spoke of the happiness of his wife Sandy, when she finally got to see what her restored home looked like. "Hands On volunteers made her dreams come true, and how many people get to see their dreams come true in life?" he said.

Later that evening, Pat and I took a moment to reflect on the day's events over a bottle of Heinekken and he told me how proud he thought Sandy would be. "I talked to her earlier - she told me to take a bath before going to meet the President!" he joked. "But I know she would be proud of me, and I know she is here with us now," he said. It was a happy time for Pat. He helped make another of Sandy's dreams come true that day by helping to thank the people who help us continue this important work.

For me, Pat and Sandy represented a profound sense of hope. A restored belief in the power of love. Whenever you see two high school sweethearts that are still flirting with one another, gazing at each other like teenagers, and truly in love with one another after 43 years of marriage its a special thing. When you see that a love like that can transcend time and space, that the love two people shared for a lifetime can still be obvious to everyone, even after Sandy is gone, it will make you realize what's important, and what is simply not worth worrying about.

Quite simply it is an honor call Pat Thornton my friend.

Check out some pictures from our trip on the HOGC Flickr site...

Ethel Moves In

This past weekend, Ms. Ethel Curry finally moved into her house. Just over two years have passed since Katrina Ethel's old home away. Nine months have passed since Hands On began working. Nothing would have been possible without Guiding Light's generous support.

From the framing stages of the house where we had to replace practically every piece of wood to the last days of touching up paint on patches of dry wall, the crews of dedicated volunteers cycled through Ethel's. Brian, Quincy, John Wildeman, Robyn, Marj, and Brannon are among the many who lent their particular skills to turning a gutted skeleton of a building into a warm, inviting home.

The day of the move in was a typically warm day in Southern Mississippi, sun shining and dark clouds amassing on the horizon. No worries, though, inside the house it is cozy and spacious, fully furnished. Waiting for friends and family to fill it up.

Guiding Light cast members Beth Chamberlin and Rob Bogue were on hand to walk Ms. Ethel through her house while Jan Conklin and Janet filmed it. Beth and Rob both remembered that Ms. Ethel said she used to always have a pot of coffee on for folks who dropped in for a visit. When Ms. Ethel walked through her kitchen, they pointed out the coffee maker, just waiting for Ms. Ethel to turn it on. Personally, I think Rob just wanted some coffee ;)

We celebrate when each of the residents we helped move into their homes. Sometimes the celebrations are big, sometimes small. Regardless of how many folks we have come celebrate, it's always emotional. I think seeing Ms. Ethel move in was particularly special for us because we've been at her house for so long, making sure everything was perfect for her and the boys.

Eddie, Sheli, and Brian were just as overcome with emotion as Ms. Ethel. Anyone who has come down and worked on one of our building projects knows that there's a deep bond that forms between the crews and the home owners who live in their FEMA trailers nearby. It's not just anyone we're putting into their home, this was Ms. Ethel.

I was happy to be there to share the moment. Being in an administrative role means I don't get out to see all the great work our volunteers and AmeriCorps members do each day. These special occassions serve to allow me to connect with them, their work, and the residents of Biloxi.

Ms. Ethel, I hope that's a great coffee maker because I think you're going to have a steady stream of Hands On folks stopping by for that ever-full pot-o'-coffee.

:: Chris ::